The manner they ended the season foretells some serious unresolved issues about the team- the 2nd team that is...

The team pretty much collapsed after the FIFA window and unfortunately for them, some really key games followed in very quick succession- Madrid, Atleti x2(CL), bogey team Sociedad, Valencia, etc...It took 15 days to recover...

This is made worse by the impact of the FIFA sanctions on La Masia, and it is only now that serious work on rebuilding this can begin.

The investment in the MSN means funds will shrink for other areas of the team, and there needs to be investment in MF, CD, LB...

This season they pretty much used 16 players all season....

Luis Enrique must take risks with young players and rotation as he did in his first season to ensure they arrive the run-in period fresh....

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

Barca seems to have been listening to me Now they have fortified the bench considerably...

How do you see the EPL playing out? Any new trends?

Already we have seen the use of fullbacks in central midfield positions to help build a broader framework for the build-up by Pep...

All eyes on the Manchester teams...but I see plenty of initial flaws, pretty much everywhere, except Chelsea...

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

Haven't seen Chelsea play yet but their fans - the real fans - not some of the mumus here - have complained about the performances of Matic, Oscar and Fabregas. Still, only two games in...

There are a few reasons why I point to Chelsea:

The level of restructuring that the team requires is not as much as most other managers, excluding Arsenal, whom I think it would be a big mistake to discount, as most are wont to atm.

First they have a pretty good base for a manager to build on. Second, Conte is just the kind of manager who can challenge the team to rediscover itself, not to underestimate the level of destruction Jose inflicted on the team.

But you are right, its way too early, and he appears uncertain what to build around Kante in central MF.

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

@Tx, Barca have gone all in this summer, strengthening accordingly and should be able to employ a greater degree of squad rotation. Needless to say, they'll be there or thereabouts come May. In the Premiership, 4-1-4-1 will emerge as the default for many with the 1 dropping to form a 3 in the possession phase and the wingers flanking the centre-forward. One's pick for team to watch? Everton. Koeman is a decent manager and a willing tactician. It will be interesting to see where he lays his hat. The 3-4-2-1 has been thrown out on a couple of occasions, hastily changing back to a four man defence when marshaled. With Coleman and Baines, Koeman certainly has reasonable fodder for wingbacks and a decent bit of enigma is Ross Barkley. The Bolasie signing is interesting and suggests a 4-2-3-1. Another centreback is a must, worth keeping an eye on.

@Tx, the inversion of the fullbacks and deep drop of Fernandinho, affords a 3-2-4-1 shape, to some extent. Years back, you'll recall one's argument that the elixir to the orthodoxy of today was indeed a 3-2-4-1, with expectation for this concept to become a norm in the future.

Tremendous game at San Mames...Barca leaving the lions den with all the spoils..

Loved the way Valverde set up Bilboa....

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

Gotta say again, Conte impresses me the most so far of all the PL managers.

The ploy of initially leaving the carpenters of Burnley to have the ball was a masterstroke, as it stripped them naked in the marketplace!!!

With the ball, many a traditional basement English team is at its weakest...

Although he had the advantage of playing them after obviously seeing the LFC game, still, its his quick thinking about the game and the motivation that impresses most...

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

After international break we shall see more when signing is over.Arsenal under Wenger tactics will start show how he line up his team after international break.So far i must say Manu look real threat under Jose but we shall see how he line up against City on the 10th to judge

@Tx, still impressed with Conte? Seemed a little slow in hand to address the issue before him vs Liverpool. Did he make best use of his charges? Did he counter the press effectively? For long periods of the game, especially the first-half, Chelsea were walked down ala Golovkin vs Brook, backed into the corner, whereupon they received. Did Conte do enough to give Chelsea a chance?

Next up, Mr Mourinho, aside from the obvious absolution of blame, his favoured party trick, the hideously unbalanced monstrosity rolled out on Sunday spoke volume of man who doesn't quite know what to do with what he has. Where to for Jose?

@Tx, still impressed with Conte? Seemed a little slow in hand to address the issue before him vs Liverpool. Did he make best use of his charges? Did he counter the press effectively? For long periods of the game, especially the first-half, Chelsea were walked down ala Golovkin vs Brook, backed into the corner, whereupon they received. Did Conte do enough to give Chelsea a chance?

Next up, Mr Mourinho, aside from the obvious absolution of blame, his favoured party trick, the hideously unbalanced monstrosity rolled out on Sunday spoke volume of man who doesn't quite know what to do with what he has. Where to for Jose?

I thought he was far too focused on countering Liverpool; you could see it from his post game interview...This is what sometimes happens with coaches who are obsessive to details...But I would not write off Conte yet...

But he needs to address the role of Matic. Perhaps Luiz besides Kante....

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

^agree Luiz-Kante or Obi-Kante, with the latter, in both instances, permitted to go hunting for possession. Can't help but feel Chelsea will eventually fall into a pseudo-3-5-2/3-4-2-1of some sort, at some point in time.

As for Mourinho, a 4-3-1-2 would perhaps give them greater variety in midfield and allow Pogba the freedom to express himself. A 4-4-2 is perhaps out of the equation as a consequence of the players signed.

Last edited by Coach on Tue Sep 20, 2016 5:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

^agree Luiz-Kante or Obi-Kante, with the latter, in both instances, permitted to go hunting for possession. Can help but feel Chelsea will eventually into a pseudo-3-5-2/3-4-2-1of some sort, at some point in time.

As for Mourinho, a 4-3-1-2 would perhaps give them greater variety in midfield and allow Pogba the freedom to express himself. A 4-4-2 is perhaps out of the equation as a consequence of the players signed.

The problem with using Mikel is tempo...

And the key question is:

can a juju music dancer do the atilogwu dance?

_________________Form is temporary; Class is Permanent! Liverpool, European Champions 2005.

We watched this very boring video, 500 times, of Sacchi doing defensive drills, using sticks and without the ball, with Maldini, Baresi and Albertini. We used to think before then that if the other players are better, you have to lose. After that we learned anything is possible – you can beat better teams by using tactics." Jurgen Klopp

txj, this Wilson article speaks to what you and others have been saying about Mourinho:

Quote:

In a world in which pressing, at the top end of club football at least, has become the dominant mode, Mourinho’s preference for reactive football in big games is an outlier. It is too simple to say the game has moved on, but equally he can no longer be said to be at the cutting edge.

Being the first game where Silva, Gundogan and De Bruyne were all announced in the same starting team; all eyes were on how Pep would integrate them given that the system he had used thus far only had room for two 8s. From the start of the game this was done through an asymmetric 3-3-3-1 shape. In deep build-up they would create a back 3 with Kolarov dropping into the defensive line as a left centre back whilst Stones and Otamendi shifted across. Sagna the other nominal full-back had a far more “orthodox” role, as he moved higher onto the second line and was very much wing-oriented in his positioning.

@Coach,The YeyeMan,txj how to you guys explain Wenger tactics against Conte?KDB out this coming sunday against Spurs,i tip spurs to end their wining streak .What happen to the Dutch man at everton this weekend?

^In short, spot on. The weakness in Chelsea was well exposed, the fluidity of the frontline bamboozled the backline. Midfield was a non-contest, tempo, control, possession, Chelsea were moved around the ring at will.

^In short, spot on. The weakness in Chelsea was well exposed, the fluidity of the frontline bamboozled the backline. Midfield was a non-contest, tempo, control, possession, Chelsea were moved around the ring at will.

Do you think if we keep that level of performance,Barca,City and them Bayern can get even a point against beloved?I think EPL is ours only City look like a challenge.I expect Spurs to beat them come sunday

@Coach,The YeyeMan,txj how to you guys explain Wenger tactics against Conte?KDB out this coming sunday against Spurs,i tip spurs to end their wining streak .What happen to the Dutch man at everton this weekend?

Possibly... despite Son's form, Kane is still a big miss, especially his movement.

Arsenal set up as they always do. I haven't seen many of their games this season but they employed the press well - especially on Cahil and the hopeless Ivanovic. In fact they played it so well, and cut off the passing lanes to Costa that I can barely recall any touches Fabregas and Oscar had in the Arsenal half.